Saturday wasn’t Tom Brady’s finest hour in the booth.
The first-year Fox NFL analyst drew an onslaught of criticism when calling the Ravens’ 34-17 win over the Steelers in Baltimore, with the fumbling of Najee Harris’ name being a misstep.
“Tom Brady Najee Harris ‘Davenport’ Wrong Najee, Tom,” one X user posted alongside a clip of the soundbite, when Brady referenced former Steelers running back Najeh Davenport with the team’s current back.
Awful Announcing also called attention to Brady, 47, stating Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson hauled in a touchdown pass in the first half but that he cleared up the error.
Elsewhere, social media unloaded on Fox’s $375 million investment.
“I thought Tom Brady would be better in the booth,” racing analyst Scott Shapiro posted on X.
“Tom Brady is terrible in the booth. I’m sorry. Hope he can get better. Just so reactionary instead of predictive and insightful,” a separate X user wrote.
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, who first reported in May 2022 that Brady had agreed to a 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox, stated the future Hall of Famer “regressed this week” and failed to provide “extra insight.”
Although others applauded Brady in the booth, noting he “sounds so much more comfortable,” Fox’s lead NFL analyst has gotten off to an uneven start.
Brady — who replaced former NFL tight end Greg Olsen on the network’s top team that features play-by-play caller Kevin Burkhardt — is reportedly being coached up by network producers, who want him to focus more on what he’s witnessing on the field in his analysis, according to a Puck Newsletter in November.
Though the gig was expected to come with growing pains, questions have swirled about how Brady could serve as a commentator effectively given he’s now a minority owner of the Raiders.
Brady is prohibited from criticizing teams or officials while on air, among other guidelines he must adhere to as an NFL owner.
He evaded punishment last month after criticizing officials in a game between the Packers and Lions.
Brady spent 23 years in the league playing for the Patriots and Buccaneers before calling it a career in February 2023.
He took a year off before taking entering the booth.
